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Sunday, October 30, 2011

I'm not sure if I am like other writers or not. I suppose we are all different with our methods and how we get into the “zone”. The easiest way for me to find that zone is through music, and I realized I can tell you what music I was listening to when I wrote each chapter.

In my book, The Last Guardian, there are four main male characters. Each character has his own playlist and style of music that I listen to when writing their scenes. The lists include music I feel goes best with each character and what they like.

The main character of book one is Mika Elkhart. He is of Lakota heritage, and while you might think he would listen to R. Carlos Nakai, which he does on occasion. However, if you pulled up Mika's playlist, you would find he likes 80's hair bands. His favorite: Guns n' Roses – Welcome to the Jungle.

The oldest of the four characters is Fergus Wolfe. Fergus has fought moving into the modern era, and strongly believes feels there is no merit to anything that is considered current. He would rather spend his time listening to composers from the Baroque period. Often you will find him practicing the Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suite when he is alone.

Saint Wolfe is the younger brother of Fergus. He loves opera and finds it rather frustrating that out of all his talents, singing is not one of them. However, that does not stop him from humming around the house. Saint's favorite: Largo al Factum, from the Barber of Seville.

Finally, that leaves Ghost, who is basically all over the charts when it comes to his musical tastes. The first song on his playlist happens to be To Hard to Handle by the Black Crows. I think that says a lot about him.

By no means are these the only songs on each characters list, and as time goes by I am sure I will add more.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

My publisher Fantasy Island Book Publishing is sponsoring a short story contest for the Halloween season. So if you got a scary story hiding somewhere in the darkened corners of your laptop, why not send it to us?

Saturday, October 8, 2011

A while back I decided to do a series of Q & A's with the men of Delta Pack. I began with Mika Elkhart since he was the main character in The Last Guardian, but now I think I will take a step back and begin with the Alpha and leader of the pack, Fergus Wolfe.Question: Where and when were you born?Fergus Wolfe: I was born about 1720, give or take 20 years, in the Irish countryside.

Question: That would make you approximately 300 years old.Fergus Wolfe: Yes. About that.

Question: What brought you to the Theriontrope Foundation and Haven?Fergus Wolfe: I came to the Theriontrope Foundation upon the death of my parents. I took my brother Aidan, who we call Saint, when he was only a few days old and hiked to the nearest village where there was a Theriontrope Overseer.

Question: How long did that take?Fergus Wolfe: The journey took about three days. The hardest part of the journey was I was in my 20’s, which is still considered a child in the shifter world. I had only begun to shift form a few month before and had very little control over my abilities.

I could make better time as a wolf, but ran the risk of getting killed. You see, since the 13th Century there had been a blanket edict throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland that all wolves were to be exterminated, but obviously I made it because here I am.

Question: Why did you not turn to your pack for help?Fergus Wolfe: I had no pack to turn to because, did I not tell you? My brother and I are the only survivors of our species. English wolves were hunted to extinction. My father was presumably the last. He was poisoned with a silver arrow and then killed. At the time, my mother was pregnant with my brother. After his birth, my she mourned herself to death. She told me to run and look for the house with the crescent moon near the door, there I would find shelter.

Question: That seems like it was very hard on you. If you could go back in time and change anything what would it be?Fergus Wolfe: I cannot change what is or what was nor would I want to. I can only move forward.

Question: Is there anything about Shape-shifters that you would like to everyone to know or clarify?Fergus Wolfe: Not really. I feel the less a human knows about us, the safer my race will be.

Question: Can you at least clear up the silver thing? Can it actually kill you if you touch it?Fergus Wolfe: No. Silver does not kill us if we touch it. However, it is poisonous to us, if ingested or dispersed into our blood streams. If touching it were deadly then Mika Elkhart would be in a world of hurt.

Question: Do you have a goal? Something you wish to accomplish?Fergus Wolfe: A goal? No, I do not have one. Least not one that I can put my paw on. I have mastered every weapon that I have tried. Not to brag, but I am an expert marksman with both bullet and arrow.

Question: What is your favorite weapon?Fergus Wolfe: My favorite weapon? Is that what you really wanted to ask or is your real question what is my preferred choice of weapon when killing? If I am in human form, my choice would be knives. Silent, accurate, personal. As a wolf I will rip out your throat as quickly as possible.

Question: Is there anything about you that our readers might find shocking?Fergus Wolfe: I am sure there are many things that may shock your readers. However, I do not wish to expound on them.

Question: Is there a special woman in your life? A Mrs. Fergus Wolfe?Fergus Wolfe: No.

Question: In 300 years you’ve never dated or been in love?Fergus Wolfe: Have I been with women? Yes. Have I been in love? That is all together different. I have never fallen in love nor do I intend to. It was love that killed my mother and left Saint and I alone. I refuse to allow another to have that much power over me. May we change the subject please? I do not wish to discuss this.

Question: There are those in your pack that refer to you as their savior. What do you think of that?Fergus Wolfe: I am no one’s savior. I do only what needs to be done. No more no less.

Question: Can you give one sentence that would best describe your brothers?Fergus Wolfe: Saint: His name implies it all. Mika: He’s a good kid, but still a kid. Ghost: A royal pain in my arse.